SPIKING A Sense of Belonging: Utilizing a Communication Model to Unlock Your Story With Authenticity

Balancing belonging with uniqueness, particularly in diverse group settings like medicine, remains a challenge that can threaten inclusion. Storytelling can be a powerful way to cultivate inclusion. However, many individuals lack frameworks, language, or confidence to share their stories in ways that feel both authentic and professionally appropriate in the workplace. We addressed this gap by teaching participants how to apply an adaptation to the evidence-based SPIKES (Setting, Perception, Invitation, Knowledge, Emotions, and Strategize or Summarize) model of communication to their own stories to facilitate an increased sense of uniqueness and belonging.

We developed an interactive 60-minute workshop geared toward learners, faculty, and educational administrators that included didactics, reflection exercises, and storytelling using an adapted SPIKES model of communication. To assess the workshop's impact, we administered a postworkshop evaluation. We analyzed Likert-scale questions using descriptive statistics and conducted content analysis of open-ended prompts.

The workshop was presented three times at Stanford Medicine in-person conferences. Of the 75 participants, 64 completed a postworkshop survey, resulting in an 85% response rate. Overall, 94% of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that the workshop achieved its educational objectives, and 92% felt it was a valuable use of their time. Key themes in participants' intended behavior changes included sharing personal stories to foster a sense of belonging, embracing vulnerability by connecting with others, and using the SPIKES model of communication in everyday conversations.

This workshop was effective in applying an adapted SPIKES model of communication to authentic storytelling to cultivate belonging.